Aci’s Point Of View (P.O.V.)
I wake up to her shrieking screams. She wails and wails. I shake her until she wakes up. She’s having her nightmares again. The nightmares where the men take her away and do bad things to her. The nightmares of a normal child.
“Adinda! Wake up Adinda!” Her body slackens against mine and then she begins to sob.
“Aci. They happened again, Aci. They’re getting worse.” Adinda has these nightmares every night, and lately, she’s getting about 5 during every night.
“WHAT HAPPENED THIS TIME?” My father suddenly wakes up.
His sudden outburst causes Adinda to scream and then cry even harder.
My father apologizes to my sister and I, and then rushes over and pulls Adinda into his big, strong arms, causing her to calm down and slowly fall back asleep.
I remember when his arms were my safe haven. Back when I was 14. When those evil men tried to steal me and I would be having nightmares.
Adinda’s Point Of View.
I wake up in my father’s arms. My parents don’t let us call them ‘mum’ or ‘dad’, so we have to call them by their names. Apparently, it shows respect.
“Thank you Affandra for letting me sleep in your arms.” He nods in approval.
“Now go talk to your sisters and brothers. They’re taking you for a walk.” He gives me a pat on the head and then lifts me up off his lap.
I trot off to my oldest sister’s tent.
“Maya? Are you in here? Affandra said you wanted to take me for a walk!” I peered around the corner of her little ‘curtain’ that separated her room from the rest of the tent.
Giving up, I walk out of the tent and start to roam around the village.
After about 40 minutes of aimlessly wondering, I decide to walk further out than I ever have before.
